Making Lemonade Out Of Sour Lemons

   Life is funny, and sometimes things happen that you have to react to. The key is to react in a way that helps you, not hurt you. That's what I've been dealing with the past few weeks.

   First, I found out my boss was resigning. This meant I could  apply for her position, which I held in the past. I have to admit I wanted my old job back pretty badly, for a variety of reasons I won't get into here. 

   The bottom line, I got my certification for just this occasion, so I'd be ready to become a director once again. I liked to think hiring me would be a no-brainer. I know the building and the residents, and what changes the administrator was looking for. 

    To make a long story short, I didn't get the promotion. I was told it was a hard decision, but they hired someone with more experience. If I want to be a director, I should apply at this place or that place (facilities the other candidate had applied that had openings).   

    Maybe it wasn't intended that way, but to me, this was a slap in the face. I was more than devastated and disappointed, I was insulted.  I felt hurt that I was being told to go apply somewhere else. My thinking was, if I'm not good enough for the place I've been over 13 years, why would I be good enough anywhere else? I knew I was  the best person for the job, but my confidence took a hit. 

    So, I immediately began looking online for another job. That's when I realized it was better to be lucky than good. I found a perfect job. Small building, family owned,  and I knew the director of nurses. I called her, and inquired. She told me to get there quick for an interview, and she'd love to have me join the team as the activity director. 

   I overlooked the only obstacle, which would be the inconvenience of getting to the place. It's only 15 minutes away, rather than the five minute commute I have now. But it's not accessible by public transportation.  I figured if I got the job, I would get something else that was very overdue in my life: my driver's license.

   Well, I got the job! I start in early November. So my life will be changing a lot.  It's a change I will embrace. The best part of this was finding out how much support I had from the people I deal with every day, especially the two  co-workers I would've been managing. Co-workers, family members and outside people who come in were as outraged as I was that I wasn't promoted. Just knowing they had confidence in me and my abilities took the sting out of the loss. And every one of them is thrilled that not only am I doing the right thing by moving on, I'm empowering myself in the process!

  Change is difficult for some people, especially me. Normally,  I don't think there's anything wrong with being comfortable, and being satisfied with what you have. In the past I considered new jobs. But after going to apply and seeing the hassle it would be to my quality of life, I was happy to stay where I was. This time, I resisted the temptation to play it safe. 
    This time I knew leaving was the only decision I should make. Why? Because it would be the only way to prove my worth, to show management they made a mistake. Not that they would ever admit it. 
   In the past I was more stubborn, and stayed because I thought they wanted me to leave, and I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction. Not to mention the economy was bad, and there wasn't a job out there with comparable pay. I was vindicated then when my  replacement did crazy things and got herself fired. But I still wasn't certified, so I wasn't able to get my job back. That was three years ago, and here we are.
    So,I'm finally moving on. I made lemonade from sour lemons  when I found a new job doing what I do best, in a smaller setting. I know already I'll be appreciated. And that makes all the difference in the world.